17 Bests from 2017

First, the obvious – as a whole, 2017 was a rough year. However, on a personal level, it was one of the best yet, which mostly can be attributed to watching Josie transition from infancy into toddler-dom. Initially, the goal of this post was 17 of my favorite photos from 2017 which was quickly deemed near impossible, so instead it became 17 of my favorite moments and memories from 2017 (in order of date taken).

1. Feb 5th – Fat Biking With Dogs

Whether the path is dirt, sand, or snow, there is little in life that beats exploring in the wild with your favorite dog or two in tow.

2. Feb 22nd – Presidents Week Camping Fail

What these photos don’t show: The death flu I had prior to departure, running out of gas on I-15, busted water pipe in camper, gale force winds while camping, and probably some other stuff I have blocked from memory. What these photos do show: our first attempt at family camping in the trailer which ultimately ended in us resigning ourselves to a cheap motel and taking advantage of the indoor pool.

3. March 11th – The Moments in-Between

While most of these photos are from trips or special occasions, some of my favorite memories come from the moments in-between, when we take a minute from the day-to-day & simply appreciate life, whether it’s hanging in the grass at the park, lounging around the house, or during bath-time.

4. April 12th – Moab Spring Break

We’re either crazy, or gluttons for punishment, but whatever the reason, shortly after our President’s Week camping fail we set out on another family camp excursion. However, this time we came out the other end tired, but ultimately, happy campers.

9. June 3rd – Boat Babes

One day we’ll do a real river trip. Until then, we’re practicing floating around on Deer Creek.

10. June 7th – Spiro MTB

Another of my favorite bike photos taken this year. After a big snow year, the trails were extra green and dense throughout the late spring and early summer.

11. July 5th – Colorado Summer Road Trip

Our big summer trip took us on the road for ten days through Colorado, where we rode bikes, hiked, & soaked in Steamboat, visited Kassie’s family in Pine, and of course, sampled all Colorado’s native delicacies.

12. July 23rd – Alta Wildflowers

13. July 28 – Camping in the Uinta’s

It’s hard to believe we only made it up to the Uinta’s for a night this summer. However, I distinctly remember how good it felt to be cuddled up next to a fire at 9,000′ in the midst of a summer heat wave.

14. Sept 23 – Whole Enchilada

The Whole Enchilada is one of those rides that is on every mountain biker’s bucket list. As such, it seemed high time for me to finally cross it off. However, there’s a narrow window where it’s rideable due to snow, extreme heat, rain/mud, and so on. We managed to ride it while experiencing all of the above, which made for an experience I’m not soon to forget.

16. Oct 23 – Gooseberry Fall Camping

17. Nov 18 – First Snow

The first snow of the season always gets everybody excited for winter. While I love these photos, the truth of the matter is that Josie went into full melt-down mode shortly after resulting in us rethinking and canceling an upcoming yurt trip. Having a kid definitely teaches one to roll with the circumstance.